Potential Changes to Boards

[xrthopeful]

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[Neuronix]

So... They just really screwed up last year and won't admit it? How about refunding the board fees for retakers?

I guess the question is: Was the pass rate a result of more studying this year or did they just lower the bar? I suppose there's no way of knowing.

 

[w00tz]

Agree that these changes are good. Laughing at the belief the ABR curriculum guide was of much help. Everyone studied their asses off, because they were scared sh#tless of failing. Physics and rad bio tests seemed like it was a much more reasonable test with more questions coming from primary sources. I suspect they also corrected the Angoff method?

Also, shout out to @ARRO and the PDs that have voiced their opinions and for advocating for the residents, regardless of outcome of this whole mess. The meetings, surveys, data collection/analysis, publications, press releases, all takes a lot of work, I'm sure. I think at the very least, but a lot of pressure on the ABR. Thanks!

 

[xrthopeful]

IMO it is no contest that the biggest contribution to the high pass rate was the correction to the Angoff method aka lowering expectations to reasonable levels after screwing up last year.


Fail rates on the order of 5 percent or less are in line with what everyone else in Medicine gets to have

 

[thecarbonionangle]

The rad bio “study guide” was a blank outline. The “physics study guide” also blank. “Clinical guide” nonexistant. Great job patting yourself in the back. People passed because they were scared and sacrificed a ridiculous amount of time away from learning clinical skills and potentially research. I suspect a self-congratulatory circle jerk in the works

 

[xrthopeful]

People passed because they were scared and sacrificed a ridiculous amount of time away from learning clinical skills and potentially research. I suspect a self-congratulatory circle jerk in the works

The same thing happened last year man. It’s not the case that people in 2018 didn’t study. That’s laughable. People have always taken way too much time than should be needed to study for these.

The pass rate is higher this year because the ABR fixed their Angoff after a screw up last year.

Simple.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Pass rate is higher (back to normal range) because of changes in the arbitrary passing threshold, a less ridiculous exam, and anyone taking studying way wayyyyyy harder than people would have in previous years given the issue in 2018. I don't think it's a single factor, albeit the most important one was a decision to NOT have the pitchforks out again at ASTRO. I think that the 85% of questions requirement coming from primary sources helped. I will give some credit to the presence of a study guide, that while it did not have the information in detail, at least told you what topics you should really make sure you know from other sources (especially in Cancer Biology).

Also helped, IMO, that RadOncQuestions did a targeted revamp of their RadBio/Physics questions sections just in time for test takers this past year.... there were upwards of 1,000 questions on each of those topics created directly from Hall and McDermott, written by people proficient in English (which is more than what can be said for a small fraction of the physics/rad bio questions I remember).

That being said, All of Ken Oliviers points would be welcome additions, IMO. A synopsis for those who can't access his most recent tweets:

First time pass rate 98% for Rad Bio/Physics. For clinicals, 99%. Repeating examinees with a 93% pass rate (unclear if Rad Bio/Physics or across all 3).
Changes being proposed to testing schedules:
1) Allow PDs to approve residents to take rad bio/physics as early as PGY-2, meaning a failure may not delay things in the long run (good idea IMO)
2) Moving clinical exam to May/June of PGY-5 year rather than post residency as people initiate new jobs (another good idea IMO)

 

[metallica81788]

1. They definitely screwed up last year and messed with a lot of people's lives and mental health in the process. No question. They just won't admit it.
2. Taking radbio/physics anytime before PGY4 would be great. Better yet, they should just include small amounts of it all into one, more clinically relevant exam.
3. Making clinical exam earlier in PGY5 year would also be great.

Hopefully this all leads to change in the process and maybe the consideration that we are living, breathing people that have clinical and personal things to attend to.

 

[xrthopeful]

The people in my program have always committed a few months to study and have protected time out of clinic.

Maybe some programs who didn’t study hard in the past got more serious last year? But overall most people have always crammed for months.


‘Wayyyyyyyy harder’ in 2019 is the stretch of all stretches. Anyone who took the test knows that there are many random things asked that you wouldn’t have ever known with studying. It’s all about what they set as the pass rate. That’s the most obvious change. It was off in 2018 and back to the norm this year.

I personally don’t care if questions are hard if the pass rate is going to be 95 percent plus.

 

[evilbooyaa]

I'm saying people studied way harder for 2019, not that the test was necessarily harder in 2019 (than it was in say 2017, 2016, and likely way 'easier' than 2018 based on reports from repeat takers who took it in both 2018 and 2019). There are reports in the other thread of people studying for upwards of 6 months for rad bio and physics taking away from their research productivity. I know I sectioned off about 3 months of dedicated study time which is definitely a LOT more than I would have if the pass rate last year wasn't in the 70% range.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Overstudying plus angoff method change is not mutually exclusive, clearly both. Regardless, these tests are a RUSE and i am NOT k even if pass tests are high because we are essentially paying a lot of money for a bad process and a bad test. The ABR surely is enjoying their Hawai trip. ALOHA!!!

 

[seper]

PGY2 is too soon to take Physics

 

[scarbrtj]

Hope SDN is getting a lot of thank-you notes from folks.

 

[medgator]

Hope SDN is getting a lot of thank-you notes from folks.

probably shade, I'd imagine

 

[deleted956486]

Hope SDN is getting a lot of thank-you notes from folks.

This was all a result of collaboration between ASTRO and the ABR. Don't you dare bring up the misanthropes of sdn.

 

[Gfunk6]

Bottom line is that I am pleased that the pass rates were so high this year, especially for re-takers. No resident should ever have to go through the abomination that is the Bio or Physics exam more than once.

That said the fact that all of a sudden the pass rate wildly changed by several standard deviations means:

1. A bunch of residents were stupid and suddenly became smart
2. A bunch of residents were lazy and suddenly became hard-working
3. The ABR screwed up the test royally

I leave it to you to determine which is the most likely possibility. There is precisely 0% chance that the ABR will own up to any of this, just take your pass, be happy and move on.